Browsing the "Energy" Category

Researchers have found a way to reduce dendrite growth in lithium-ion batteries. Creating a 3-D porous substrate out of sugar cubes and silicone, they found that it relieved stress and inhibited dendrite growth.

Researchers have developed a type of permeable concrete that solves two problems: flooding from water pooling during heavy rains and recycling of an industrial waste product that previously had no reuse applications.

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a high-efficiency protonic ceramic fuel cell that operates at mid-range temperatures; and researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are harnessing the power of computation to identify better materials for solid oxide fuel cells.

Researchers have created a material that replaces lead with titanium that could be used in inorganic thin-film perovskite solar cells. Their lead-free perovskite offers better stability and a more environmentally-friendly alternative for tandem solar cells.

Residential LEDs use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, but R&D challenges still exist for LED lighting. However, new materials research continues to push LED technologies further forward.

Researchers have developed a triboelectric nanogenerator that uses body movements to generate electricity. Their device could someday generate enough power to operate our mobile devices and wearable electronics.

Despite its material strength, concrete’s weakness is its huge carbon footprint. New methods are emerging to process wood into a high-performance structural building material that could someday take concrete’s place in buildings and beyond.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced a competition to spur growth of sustainable energy technology. American Inventions Made Onshore will award monetary compensation to four organizations that will provide training to innovators on how to bring their research to market.

Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have created a direct carbon fuel cell that operates more efficiently than other fuel cells. Their fuel cell operates at lower temperatures and has more power density than previous versions.

Most current energy-saving window technology requires electricity to power the windows. But a research team has devised a fluidic window that uses magnetic nanoparticles to control the window to capture solar energy.